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Dec. 15, 2007
BIRMIGNHAM, Ala. - The Jackson State University football team earned its 16th Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship with a 42-31 win over the Grambling State University Tigers Saturday afternoon at Legion Field. The game, which was televised on ESPN Classic, was the second most attended game under the SWAC's current championship game format. 43,246 spectator's witnessed JSU head coach Rick Comegy win his first SWAC title. Jackson State was also involved in the best-attended game when the Tigers faced Southern in the inaugural SWAC Championship game in 1999, the attendance was 47,621. Jackson State scored 14 points in the first, second and fourth quarters to outlast the G-Men. GSU openend the scoring in the first quarter, scoring on a Tiger turnover. Demichael Dizer intecepted a Jimmy Oliver pass and returned it 17-yards, setting up GSU's first score. G-Men running back Frank Warren capped a six play drive with a one-yard run at the 12:35 mark. JSU then scored two straight touchdowns. Jimmy Oliver connected with Cedric Dixon for a 14-yard TD strike, to tie the score at 7-7 at the 6:28 mark in the first. A GSU turnover set up JSU's next score. Domonique Johnson stepped in front of a Brandon Landers pass and returned it 35-yards for a touchdown. Eric Perri's extra point kick gave JSU a 14-7 lead. Grambling ended the first quarter with a safety, when officials called JSU for holding in the endzone. Heading into the second JSU held a 14-9 advantage. Both teams scored in the second. GSU scored three points on a Time Manuel 37-yard field goal. JSU scored 14 points. Jimmy Oliver connected with Chris Johnson for a 17-yard touchdown pass at the 4:40 mark. Just over two minutes later Lavarus Giles capped a six play, 26-yard drive with a three-yard TD run. At half time JSU eld a 28-12 advantage. Grambling took control in the third quarter, scoring 19 unanswered points. Landers threw two TD passes. His first was a 24-yarder to Nick Lewis and the second was a 44-yarder to Tim Abnel. On each schore GSU converted a two-point conversion to tie the game at 28-28. JSU regained momentum in the fourth and finished off Grambling with two touchdowns. Jimmy Oliver threw his last touchdown pass of the game as he found Terrance Jones for a 15-yard score. Lavarus Giles scored his final TD with a spectacular 54-yard run. On the play Giles broke three G-Men tackles and outran the remaining defenders for the score. JSU's Jimmy Oliver led all signal callers, completing 16-31 pass attempts for 249 yards and three TDs. Oliver completed at least on pass to eight different receivers. Brandon Landers passed for 229 yards and two TD, as he completed 18-38 attempts. Jackson State's Lavarus Giles finished with a game-high 117 rushing yards and two TDs. Cornelius Walker finished with 41 rushing yards. Jaymar Johnson led JSU with three receptions for 57 yards. Giles and Chris Johnson both caught three passes for 29 yards. Chris Johnson also hauled in a touchdown. Cedric Dixon also caught a pass for a TD. Clyde Edwards led Grambling with seven receptions for 72 yards. Defensively Marcellus Speaks recorded a game-high eight tackles and recorded an interception and a pass break-up. Marcus Johnson followed with seven tackles. DeMichael Dizer led Grambling with seven tackles. Jimmy Oliver received the game's Most Outstanding Offensive Player and Domonique Johnson was named the game's Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
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